Checklists

Being informed about your company's maternity leave policies and knowing your options is extremely important. To help you navigate through this process, we've put together a list of 20 questions you should ask your HR department before going on maternity leave.

Does the company offer paid maternity leave? For how long and at what percentage of pay?

Does the company offer short-term disability (STD)? For how long and at what percentage of pay?

Does the state offer STD coverage? For how long and at what percentage of pay?

Do I have to use state STD benefits first, if they're available?

Can I take additional time off if I have complications and my doctor writes a letter certifying this, or is that time considered part of my maternity leave?

Does the company's STD coverage and the state's STD coverage take place at the same time?

How and when do I apply for STD?

Do I have to pay taxes on STD income?

Is there a waiting period before I can collect benefits?

Do I have to use accrued vacation, personal, or sick days before any other kind of leave?

Do any personal, vacation, or sick days I take run concurrently with any other kinds of leave offered?

Can I take vacation days that I haven't accrued yet?

Am I eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid family leave under the FMLA?

How long will the company keep my job (or a similar one) available to me? Longer than 12 weeks?

What are my options for after my paid or unpaid leave runs out? Can I work part time? Telecommute? What about flex time?

Will taking unpaid leave affect my schedule for raises and promotions? How about my seniority?

Am I responsible for paying my health insurance premiums while I'm on leave?

Will I still be covered by my life insurance while on leave? If the leave is unpaid, how do I continue to pay for coverage?

Are any other benefits, like my future vacation time or my pension, affected by my taking a maternity leave?

Does the company offer any childcare benefits -- on-site daycare, subsidized daycare at another location, a pre-tax dependent-care spending account, and/or pumping facilities if I choose to breastfeed after I return to work?

Managers must be able to "put themselves in the shoes" of the employees they manage. This helps them to be able to treat their employees in a way that will create a mutual respect and desire to please. Visit http://workexcel.net/preview1924.html to find out more about productive ways to manage employees.